West Highland Way: visitor guide

Six to eight days is the standard plan: Milngavie to Drymen, then Rowardennan, Inverarnan, Tyndrum, Bridge of Orchy or Inveroran, Kingshouse, Kinlochleven and Fort William. Fit walkers do it in five; first-timers with a heavy pack should allow eight. Distances and splits below are 2026 estimates — check current route and accommodation information before booking.

The route runs north from Milngavie, on the northern edge of Greater Glasgow, along the east shore of Loch Lomond, over Rannoch Moor, through Glencoe and down to Fort William. It is waymarked with the Scottish thistle symbol and covered by Ordnance Survey Landranger sheets 56, 50, 41 and 41 (check current editions).

Coordinates below are approximate trailheads and overnight hubs, not exact points on the path.

Distances and times below are the usual overnight splits; they assume a steady pace with a day pack and short stops. Times are walking time only, not including lunch or photo breaks. All figures are 2026 estimates — check current waymarking, path diversions and accommodation before you set off.

Late April to September is the usual walking season. May and September are often the best balance: long daylight, fewer midges than midsummer, and more chance of a dry spell (check). June to August brings the warmest weather but also the heaviest rain, the most midges and the fullest accommodation (check).

Winter walking is possible for experienced hill walkers only: short daylight, ice on the Devil's Staircase, and many services closed (check). Snow can lie on the high sections into April (check).

Beds along the route are limited: a handful of hotels, bunkhouses, campsites and guesthouses at each overnight point. Book the whole chain before you travel, especially for Kingshouse and Kinlochleven, which have the fewest options (check current availability). Many walkers use a baggage transfer service so they carry only a day pack.

Wild camping is legal across most of Scotland under the outdoor access code, but there are seasonal camping management zones around Loch Lomond and the Trossachs where you may need a permit in summer. Check the current zone map before you plan to camp (check).

Start at Milngavie: trains run from Glasgow Queen Street to Milngavie in about 20 minutes (check). Finish at Fort William, which has direct trains to Glasgow and an overnight sleeper link to London (check). Buses also connect Fort William with Glasgow and Inverness (check).

Budget roughly £60–90 per night for a guesthouse or bunkhouse bed with breakfast, and £15–25 per night for a campsite pitch (2026 estimates, check). Baggage transfer adds about £8–12 per bag per day (2026 estimate, check). Food and drink along the way is pub and café priced; carry cash for small places.